Japan's jobless rate rises to 2.5 percent as employment returns to yearly growth

Japan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 2.5 percent in August from 2.4 percent in July, the Statistics Bureau said Friday. Employment totaled 68.49 million, up 140,000 from a year earlier after no annual growth in July.

Paid employment kept growing. Employees rose by 390,000 to 62.13 million, extending the increase to 54 months. Regular staff gained 240,000 and nonregular staff gained 150,000.

The number of unemployed people fell 20,000 from a year earlier to 1.80 million, its first decrease in 13 months. Involuntary separations fell by 20,000, while voluntary departures rose by 40,000 and people newly seeking work rose by 30,000.